Congress designates 'Taps' as national song

Dec. 27, 2012
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Richard Kane, right, of Bugles across America, and Dimitri Baroudi of the 365th Military Police Detachment salute 2002 Washington-area sniper victim Dean Harold Meyers. Bugles have played 'Taps' at funerals for troops and veterans since the Civil War though trumpets, shown here, also are used. / Jessica Griffin, AP

by Rick Maze, Army Times

by Rick Maze, Army Times

WASHINGTON - Congress has designated Taps, the haunting 24-note bugle call that American military forces have used since the Civil War, as the National Song of Remembrance.

However, lawmakers stopped short of putting into law directions about how people should conduct themselves when the tune is being played.

The final version of the 2013 Defense Authorization Act, passed Friday in Congress and on its way to the White House for the president's signature, includes a "sense of Congress" resolution stating that Taps should be the official national song.

No one doubted this designation would be made because both the House and Senate versions of the defense policy bill included similar statements about the designation.

However, House and Senate negotiators decided not to include a House-passed provision on rules of conduct while Taps is being played at a funeral or memorial service.

The provision was left out of the final bill because of disagreement about whether a federal law is warranted, especially regarding how civilians and military personnel not in uniform should conduct themselves when the song is played, according to aides who were part of the discussion.

The House proposal was very specific. It said those not in uniform should stand at attention with their right hands over their hearts. Men not in uniform wearing a hat should remove the hat with their right hand and hold it over their heart while standing at attention.

Those in uniform should stand at attention and render a military salute at the first note of "Taps" and hold the salute until the last note has finished.

The origins of Taps is not known, but the House resolution says a Union general, Daniel Butterfield, and a bugler, Oliver Willcox Norton, created it in 1862 as a signal to mark the end of military activities for the day. It is similar to a melody British troops played at funerals.

The 150th anniversary of the U.S. military's use of the song was marked in June with rededication of the Taps Monument at Berkley Plantation, Va., where Butterfield and Norton were stationed in 1862.